November Morning
by MycroftsAngelEyes
Summary: Starts off with Ianto's thoughts Post-Cyberwoman. Chapter 9 - First Day of Spring! NOW COMPLETE!
1. November Morning

**Disclaimer:**** As much as I am loathe to admit it, I do not own Torchwood. Yes, such a travesty I know, but we must all go on!**

**Set:**** Oh I don't know. Perhaps after 'Cyberwoman' but before 'Countrycide'.**

**Author's Note:**** I'm feeling like I want to do a dark, sad Ianto. So I decided to make him an orphan! God, I really hate myself now, but it's good to read, so hating myself is worth it!**

**November Morning**

**S**tanding on the Plas looking out across the Bay, Ianto Jones thought that the cold, dreary, November morning was beautiful. Most people would argue with him and say that the cold, dreary, November morning was horrible and warranted a day-off work.

Ianto Jones only found it beautiful because he hated the sunshine. He hated bright and sunny days, when people laughed and joked about life. He hated it because whenever it was sunny, his life always seemed absolutely-bloody-awful.

He had no family; they'd been taken from him on a warm, sunny, June afternoon just after they'd all been to a party at a grandparents. He distinctly recalled the car they were in – a four-door hatchback – going along the A482 not too far from Harford, when a stupid drunken-driver came tearing down the road and hit them, head on.

Ianto was the only one who survived. His mam, tad, little sister and baby brother had all scummed to a drunken-driver and Ianto was left alone. He had only minor injuries; a couple of cuts and bruises but no broken bones or internal bleeding. His sister hadn't been so lucky, she'd still been alive when the ambulance and police came, she'd refused to let go of his hand.

He'd held her, comforted her whilst she sobbed and whimpered quietly from the pain. She'd suffered and all he'd been able to do was hold her and watch the light leave her eyes for good.

That had broken him, he'd never been the same. He'd seen his family murdered in front of him, then only a decade after that he'd seen the love of his life and all his friends and colleagues murdered also.

There's only so much a person can take and Ianto Jones had reached his breaking point on that fateful day. He'd dragged Lisa out hoping against hope that she was still in there somewhere. He knew she wasn't but he just didn't care. He couldn't stand to lose another person again, not someone so close to him. Not again.

So he'd rescued her body, taken her to Torchwood 3 in Cardiff, back to his home town. He'd wormed his way into Torchwood 3 and hid her there, hoping he could fix her; make the way she was.

His hope was useless. She was already gone, she'd died that day; just like the 972 other employee's of Torchwood London. He lost what remained of her – a shell, a mere shadow of what she had once been.

He'd broken then, he'd fell-apart and showed a part of him he never wanted others to see. He'd shown that he really was human and was even more fragile than any of the others. One tragedy after another; that was his life. Still is his life.

They'd looked at him with pity and with disgust. They'd felt guilt because they didn't know him, but that couldn't really be all their fault could it? He could have easily told them about himself, about his family, about every horror he'd ever witnessed and survived. Of course he could've. He just didn't.

His own self-defence mechanism was to run and hide when someone asked him something personal. He couldn't blame them for his silence, for his reluctance to connect to another human-being, could he? It wasn't their fault after all, it was his. He was to blame for his own suffering now.

What could he do to fix it? He could show his feelings. He could smile at them and tell them stories of his past. He could, but he won't. He knows he won't, not unless he's prompted by them and he knows they won't prompt. It's easier for them that way, to pretend he's alright and that his life is fine and that he's happy with it, because then they don't have to be concerned for a murderer, a coward.

Somehow, he knew that they'd eventually ask if he had any family. Probably not today or tomorrow, but, someday. And he knew what how he'd reply. "My family is at rest in a cemetery, decaying for decades because it is better for them to be dead now than to see me, as the pathetic excuse that I am now"

They'd have no reply for that and then he'd leave them alone, he'd walk away. He wouldn't look back at them, he'd keep walking until he reached their graves. Then he'd silently sit and wait for the skies to open and cry tears of pain that he couldn't let out himself.

Because he was too much of a coward to cry for them.

**I don't know if I'll do another chapter, mainly because I don't think I have enough inspiration for it! But if anyone wants me to, I'll write another one for after 'Countrycide'. But you will have to tell me! **


	2. It's Cold in the Countrycide

**As requested by Gavvy Wolf-Kidd!! Thank her for conning me into doing this! Lol**

**Ianto's POV is in Italic. Jack's POV is in normal.**

**It's Cold in the Countryside**

_**W**ell, the weather was absolutely brilliant wasn't it? The sun was missing, the vultures were cawing and the only people within miles included one hell of an angry London Doctor! Yep, the weather and the situation he found himself in was fantastic! Oh joy! Light drizzle and a chill in the air definitely made him appreciate the Hub more than before._

Somedays, he really did hate being the leader of a group of irritant children who drove him insane. They just squabbled about anything! It was so annoying and down-right insultive to think that he was a descendant of such idiots! And what the heck does Gwen think she's doing! Asking us who we last snogged! God! Now I'm really insulted that she's the ancestor of someone I once knew!

_Dear me. That girl really is desperate to know about us isn't she? Well, not about me. I'm not part of the team, am I? Of course not! She's only asking this to see if she can find something else about Jack! Pathetic really. It's insultive to people from this time. Oh God, what would a time-traveller say about us if they could see her asking us 'who we last snogged'!_

How the heck should I respond to that? Should I say "Well the last person who I snogged, happens to be the one who's wearing colour-coordinated clothing and looks edible! Of course it can't really be counted as a snog because he was, at the time, dead and I brought him by transferring my life-force to him." No! Of course not! That'd just give them a reason to look at me like I'm some fair-ground attraction, like I was once. No I'll just side-track her. "Are we including non-human life forms?" That's how I'll answer.

_Non-human life forms! Yep. That sounds so like you doesn't it Captain Jack-bloody-Harkness? Answer the question with another question. Yeah. I know what you're doing! It's what everyone does when they don't want to give the truth. Nothing special about it Captain! Alright Gwen, I've had enough of you asking bloody pointlessly childish questions! Time to shut you up for a while. "It's my turn, is it? It was Lisa." There, that should shut you up! Bloody stupid cow!_

Why the heck did he say that? What was the point of it? And why the hell did he lie? I know Lisa wasn't his last kiss, unless he likes necrophilia! God! He's done it to just shut her up! Well, I can't complain about that really, can I? Good idea Owen, go find some firewood, yeah go with him Gwen. Now all I've got to do is get rid of Tosh for a few minutes so I can have a talk with Ianto and confront him for lying.

_He knows I'm lying. He knows that he's the last person I've kissed. Or at least he thinks that. In all fact I've kissed so many people that I've lost count – which is no easy task for me. I don't care what he thinks, I don't care what they think. I know that he wants to get rid of Tosh so he can have a 'talk' with me, but I'm not stupid. He won't get me alone just yet. What do you take me for Jack? A fool?_

He knows that I want to talk to him, that's why he's talking to Tosh about the recalibrations on the Rift Monitor Program and several other programs. Does he even understand what she's talking about? Probably. He is pretty smart after all, smart enough to trick us all and erase his file – or most of it. I wonder if he actually has anything outside of Torchwood. There's nothing in his file and it's kind of pointless doing a search for 'Jones' because it's the most common surname in bloody Wales!

_I'm sorry Tosh but you lost me the second you started to explain the advanced sub-exothermic dynamics of the security system. It's not because I don't get it, just can't be bothered understanding it. It's pretty hard to concentrate when you have a Captain giving you evil glares that could kill. Could kill, not will kill, because he doesn't seem to be able to kill me. Ha! Looks like I have an uncanny ability of not dying when I should! Ironic really. I didn't want to die the first time so others died instead, the second time I still didn't want to die but others did again. The third time I REALLY wanted to die and fate decides to step in and let me live! Why the heck am I worth people dying for me? There's no purpose to my life. What is so special about me that warrants others dying in my place? God, I wish I knew._

Is that Owen and Gwen calling? What have they found? Might as well go and look at this body they've found. Might give us a lead on the case. Worth a look right? Who's got the keys? Ah, Owen's got them; he's getting his medical equipment. Hope he locks the god-damn SUV.

_Now that is just disgusting! A body that's been skinned, stripped of all it's flesh and organs. Oh god, if I'd actually eaten something I'd have thrown it back up by now. The smells gut-wrenching! Owen, can't you even gauge as to how he's died? Yes, it's a male; of that I'm sure. Pelvis is too narrow to be a woman. See, don't need to be a certified Doctor to be able to tell the gender of a corpse. Don't need to be a copper to be able to do a background check either! Might have just been a Weevil! That's about as likely as Jack going celibate! _

Wonder what he's smirking at? Maybe, I can have a small check inside that head of his. Might as well give it a shot. Wow, he blocked me! How did he block me? I'm way stronger than any human with telepathy in this Century, so how did he manage to block me? Wait a second... is that the SUV? OH GOD it is! I'm not getting stranded out here with these guys for company, not today anyway. I don't want to die today... maybe tomorrow.

_You can't get in my head that easily Captain. Sorry to disappoint you. No-one's allowed in here because it really is a breach of privacy and I'm sure you don't want to add that to the harassment do you? Well, knowing you, you probably do! You're not getting in my head because if I wanted to tell you anything... I still wouldn't, willingly. Great! The SUVs been nicked, whoevers taken it has left a mess for me to clean and I know none of you are going to help! Great! Owen you're on Decaf until the day you or I die!_

What the hell are we meant to do now?

_What the hell are we meant to do now?_

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**Well, tell me what you think so far!! I'm going to do another chapter soon, that depicts the next part of 'Countrycide' then the aftermath – for Jack and Ianto, obviously. I'd love to here what you think!**


	3. The Countryside is Suicide!

**Same again – Ianto's POV is in Italic and Jack's POV is in Normal.**

**Enjoy**

**Alonzey! **

**The Countryside is Suicide!**

_**O**ne hell of a way to get our attention, I must admit. Leave a body for us to find just so as to steal our only means of transport. Of escape. Yep. **Definitely** creative. I might give it 8 out of 10 on the creativity scale! Okay. The others must be **pretty **freaked out right now because I know that I'm not, meaning that I'm freaking out because **they** are! Great! I thought I'd stopped this... Jack, you son of a bitch! This is **your** fault! Well, it's no use getting angry at him really is it? No, because I'd really hate to give anymore reason to shoot me now **wouldn't** I? Of course I would... _

_Might as well do something productive whilst everyone else bites each others heads off. Ahh, there it is! The tracker. I'll just find out where the SUV is and then we'll get it, I'll knock Owen out with a sedative-laced Decaf coffee and then we'll all be on our way home where we'll be able to go to bed and sleep fitfully until 10 am tomorrow... **Yeah right!** More likely we'll have to **walk** to wherever the SUV is, find the things that **took** it. Shoot the heck out of them, get covered in some disgusting substance; **then** head off back to Cardiff, where we'll all end up in the Hub, **then** whilst the others get to eventually go home and rest or get laid, I'll have a date with a filthy SUV which I'll have to clean before morning just so they don't bitch about it! Yeah, that's probably what's going to happen... what could be worse than **that?** Owen trying to sleep with me I suppose..._

Okay. The SUVs been taken, we're following it's signal via Ianto and a tracking-device that he has. He didn't fob it off onto Tosh or me, he kept hold of it and started off leaving **us** to follow. I'm sure he'd be a good-leader if he'd just get over his shyness. He looks kind of cute from this angle. Him walking about 5 or 6 steps ahead of me, focusing on the path and the direction we're heading, his hair dishevelled due to the slight breeze and light drizzle. His clothes stretching in all the right places to turn heads. His shoulders hunching slightly whenever he looks back and sees me staring at him. Oh how I do love playing with him!

He's so unique, so different. I've never met a man like him – or alien for that matter. He's so very controlled, **painstakingly** so. He blocks my intrusions into his mind, with ease I think. He stares at me with these unintelligible blue-pools of light that give away nothing unless he wants them to. **He** survived where others died. He betrayed us, **me** and still lives to tell the tale. Still works with us, or **for** us really.

We don't treat him as a team member, more like a private servant. No wonder he didn't tell us about Lisa, no wonder he didn't trust us; we didn't really give him a reason to trust us. He was nothing more than a slave to us, we treated him as being less-than human, gave him no rights or personal contact. He was just there to work **for** us, not with us.

_Lovely looking place. A nice, creepy and deserted village in the middle of nowhere; and me and Tosh are off looking for the SUV. Yeah, this is very, **very** good! I'll have to remember to kick life up it's own ass after this is all over!_

_What's that? A shrill call. Alright I'll walk up here and check out to see if I can see anything. Nope, not a thing. Tosh, where are you Tosh?_

_God! You nearly shot me! I thought that was Jack's job Tosh? Didn't know you wanted to as well. Okay, that was definitely uncalled for. I'm just being bitchy because I'm freaking out form you guys. Great. I'm not even part of the team and they've already started to affect me!_

_Tosh? TOSH! Oh God Tosh where are you? Please, don't let you be dead Tosh! I should be the dead one, not you! Please for the sake of my sanity, please, let her be alright!_

_Oh God, there's something here. I can feel it, sense it. It's playing with me. Seeing how freaked out I can get. It's got Tosh I know it. Oh God, my dear Tosh. Please don't be dead. Please...._

_OH GOD! HELP ME!! IT'S GOT ME! IT'S-......._

It's strange, this village should be **full** of life but it all seems vacant. Like somethings' chased it away. Oh, I hope Tosh **and** Ianto are alright. They're not exactly brilliant out in the field. **Shit**! I should've sent Owen or Gwen with them. They're the **only** two who don't come on regular Weevil hunts – Ianto, never. I shouldn't have left them alone, even if they only have to find the SUV. What if something bad happens to them? I'm **sure** it's tempting fate to leave them exposed. Fuck! I'm such an **idiot** sometimes!

Alright, me and Gwen will have a look around the houses, whilst Owen deals with our newest body. Come on Gwen! I'm worried **enough** as it is, don't annoy me as well! Most of them are empty, one or two new bodies for Owen to dissect and play with – I'm sure he has a serious case of necrophilia or something!

**SHIT! GWEN! FUCK! STUPID BLOODY KID!! YOU'VE JUST SHOT HER!! **Okay, Owen. Get in here! I need your help! Do the job I bloody pay you for! Shit!

Right, the Pub. Our best bet is the Pub. It's easier to defend and spacious enough if we end up in a fist-fight. Barricade the door, stop anything from coming in. Good. **Much** safer. I **hope**.

_Oh God... my head... what the.... what happened.... **MONSTERS**! Oh shit! Tosh! Oh God Tosh where are you? Where am I? Why can't I move? What's that thing holding my upper arms? What's stopping me from running? **LET ME GO!!** _

_Arrrrgggghhhhh... God... that hurt... not... doing that... again... in a... hurry... _

_What the **heck** have you done with Tosh? What the **heck** are you doing to me? **NO**... let go.. get off... no... please... oh God, please no.... **please...**_

_**Thank** the Lord for the smallest of mercies... something's got their attention, yes. Leave me be, please. No! Don't touch me! Let me go, please..._

_I **hate** cells... I **hate** small spaces... I **hate** the smell of meat and of blood... And I **especially** hate it when it's all rolled into one. The only thing that's missing is Jack in here with his limitless libido – once again, **thank** the Lord for the smallest of mercies!_

_Come on Tosh. Please wake up, I **really** hate being in a room with an unconscious person for company. Had that happen with my grandma, you see. She left me to silence, in her little coma. Trapped in her own body. At least she'd gone quickly, unlike grandpa. Years, he lasted with cancer. Stubborn man he was! Said that's where **I** get **my** stubborn streak from! I couldn't agree more!_

_There we are Tosh, you're awake. Now, how are we going to get out of this hmm? **You're** the more experienced agent, **you** figure it out; because I see **no** way to escape; but then again, I'm **still** a stubborn bastard so I might as well give it a shot right?_

_Wrong. Now all I've got to show for it is a set of saw ribs from the butt of a rifle that happens to be in the hands of a dumpling! It'd be **just my luck** that she'll kill me, either on purpose or by accident, and you'll have to sign off on me being stored away in the morgue. **'Death by dumpling' ****Go figure!**_

What are these bloody things? Why are they hiding? Surely they're strong enough to take us all... maybe they're playing with us, maybe they want to feel our fear. Maybe.

I can't sense Tosh! Damn it! It's pointless looking for Ianto... he's blocked me. God. Tosh, Ianto where are you? Please don't be dead...

Wait! I can sense Tosh again... thank God! What was that! It's them – whatever they may be, they're trying to get in! Careful Gwen! Owen! SHIT! They're in the basement! NO! I'm not letting you get us you...

BANG!

Webley saves the day yet again! What would I do without-

Damn it! They took the kid! Gwen! No I can't let you go out there, you could get killed! You're already injured! GOD DAMN IT! Why am I so soft with you? Please be careful Gwen, Owen... don't die.

What the hell! A **human**! A normal, pitiful human who's threatening **me** and **my** team! We deal with aliens and stuff that'd have **you** running for the fucking hills and **you're** chasing **us**! I must have entered an alternate fucking reality!

TELL ME YOU SON OF A BITCH!! TELL ME NOW OR SO HELP ME-

Good. Keep talking, that's good. I stand corrected, what you've just told me is **not** good! Shit! I gotta find the others!

I'm **not** going to have **'Death by Human Cannibals'** on their reports! **No fucking way!**

_Where is she taking us? What's that building there? A village hall of sorts?What do they meet there to **do** exactly? Maybe I don't want to know. Yep. I **really** don't want to know. We'll just be going now, okay?**No?** Stay? If you insist? Yeah. I'm sure you'd **love** for us to stay for tea. _

_I'm losing it..._

_Cannibals? _

_Cannibals!_

_Oh God! Cannibals... dear God! What do we do? _

_Come on Jones! **FOCUS!** You've got a brain, **use** it! Okay. Plan? **Not** get eaten? Excellent plan, now how to implement it? _

_First things first, get Tosh to safety. Can't escape, she's got a shot-bloody-gun and he's big enough to knock out a bloody bear! Ah well. Might as well give it a go._

_Owwww..... that.... hurt... **A** **LOT!**... He's... got... a good... punch.... ow.... handcuffs? Kinky! **NO! FOCUS ON THE SITUATION!** Standard Police issue, by the feeling of them. Yep. Definitely Police cuffs. Looks like getting arrested all those years ago was useful **after** **all**... _

_Back to the matter in hand. Right. Handcuffs for me, rope for Tosh. **Typical!** I can get out of rope but **not** handcuffs! Well, not ones that are cutting of the circulation to my hands!_

_Anyway. I can **still** get Tosh out... I **hope!** Get ready to run Tosh, **please** run when I say..._

_Time to give him a present in return for the punch!** Kirby kissed! HAVE THAT!**_

_RUN TOSH RUN! **NO! **GET OFF! SHIT! _

_Ow... **again** with the fists... **and** a kick to the stomach for good measure. How thoughtful... _

_Oh God. Incoming rifle butt again!_

…_............_

**So! Tell me! What do you think so far? Ianto sounds nuts doesn't he? Yep! I'd sound nuts if I knew I was about to be dinner for a bunch of Cannibals and if I could feel everyone else's fear. Wouldn't you?**


	4. One More Reason to Hate the Countryside!

**HELLO! I hope you enjoy this one! I'm changing the way I write this one a little bit. It's not only going to be the thoughts okay. I don't want Ianto's beating to be heard only as thoughts because they'd be something along the lines of – 'Owww.... arrggghhh....'!!**

**So enjoy.**

**Ianto's thoughts are in Italic and Jack's in bold. The normal text is everything else! =)**

**Don't hate me. RTD did this first!**

**One More Reason To Hate The Countryside!**

----------------------------------I

He was vaguely aware of the handcuffs restraining his movement and a dull throbbing in his stomach. The pain in his head though, well, that took up most of his thought process _'owww.... God.... owww.... hurts.....' _He wasn't unconscious, just dazed. He could hear someone talking; more than one voice, more than one person.

Slowly his brain began to function again and when he managed his first coherent thought he stupidly tried to move,_ 'Tosh! Please God, let her have got out! Let her be safe! Owww... head...'_

The voices stopped, the sound of movement reached his ears just before someone was hauling him up by his upper arms. He tried to get out of their grip but he couldn't, his head was throbbing and he felt nauseous with the sudden movement._ 'Get off! No! Let me go! Please... let me go.... help me, please... someone...'_

He heard laughter and felt someone else holding him, testing the thickness of his muscles. He heard them talking about him,

"Hmm, he's good."

"Very good. Should we have a taste?"

"Maybe we could 'play' with him?"

_'No, no, no, this can't be happening! I'm not a toy! I'm not... I'm not food! I'm no- AHHH!'_

They didn't seem to agree with his thought process it seemed as one of this bit his collar-bone deeply. They bit him hard enough to draw blood and he screamed silently, his stomach clenching and his body tensing up from more pain. _'Please God! Stop, please...'_

And they did; but only for a moment, then the biting came back; more than one mouth eating away at him, 'tasting' him. The others, the ones who didn't lick and bit at his flesh chose to beat him with their fists and feet; their knees and elbows, anything that could 'tenderize' him.

He couldn't stay on his knees as whoever was holding him up released him suddenly, he toppled over onto his side and crashed to the ground; yet more pain. Curling himself up as they stopped biting and all beat him using anything they could. They laughed and jeered at him, everytime he made a groan or sob. He was in so much pain, _'let them stop... please.... let... them...STOP!'_

He screamed out in agony as one of them grabbed his bound wrists and pulled them away from his body, straining the pained muscles in his arms and shoulders.

"Shut him up would ya'?"

He almost gagged when a clothe was tied around his head, stuffed in his mouth effectively muffling his screams to soft moans. He sobbed and cried and tried to beg, but they couldn't understand him; and if they could've he doubted they would've cared.

_'Jack... I know... you can hear... me.... help... please'_ He last semi-coherent thought was for Jack to save him, to rescue him from these monsters. The Captain suddenly seemed far more appealing compared to these...._ savages!_

----------------------------------J

_'Jack... I know... you can hear... me... help... please'_

**'Ianto?' **Jack stopped moving and focused his mind. **'Ianto, can you hear me?'** Nothing, there was no reply from Ianto at all. He tried to sense for him and only got a general fix on him,** 'maybe Tosh is with him, or the others'**.

He found Owen, Gwen and Tosh all in the same localised area, along with two others who he didn't know **'Shit! They must be the cannibals!' **Cursing silently, Jack moved on down the track he was walking down, periodically looking left and right as he went. Listening intently for any sound of movement and watching the shadows all around him for signs of movement Jack allowed his mind to reach out for Ianto again.

**'Ianto?.... Come on Ianto! You called for me.... I'm waiting...' **As with before, there was no reply from him, sighing in frustration Jack ploughed on ahead towards his signal; quickly checking to see where the others were he found them in the same area as Ianto. **'Shit!' **

Breaking into a jog and then a full-out run, he raced down the track; observing that directly in front of him were lights signalling a dwelling of some kind. Stopping to catch his breath for a moment he once again allowed his mind to reach out to the others, **'Dammit, there's more with them! 6? 7? Dammit! I can't tell!' **

_'Jack...'_ A voice echoed around in his head, he knew that voice. It sounded the same as when he spoke.

**'Ianto?'**

_'Jack! Hurry! They've got us all... OH GOD! HELP!'_

**'IANTO!'**

_'Please Jack... please.... I don't want to get eaten by a FUCKING cannibal! I'd settle for death by a fucking dumpling, just put a hold on the cannibalism! Please...'_

**'Ianto! Calm down alright! I'm coming okay? I'm coming!'**

Looking around desperately, he spotted an old tractor of sorts, it looked like it had seen better days but it would have to do. Wrenching the door open he slid into the driver's seat and searched for the keys -there weren't any. "Fucking dammit!" Growling in irritation Jack pulled out a Swiss-Army knife from inside his coat and prised off the front of the ignition piece.** 'Have you ever started a car without using keys Ianto?'**

_'...yes... I got caught though... fish-tailed into a ford focus when turning the corner... Jesus Jack! Please hurry! He's coming!'_ Ianto's voice echoed in his head, sounding vaguely sarcastic but still panicked and afraid.

**'I'm coming Ianto! Just stay calm alright. Freaking out now isn't the best thing to do right now...' **Gritting his teeth in determination, Jack shoved the blade into the ignition port and twisted it a few times until the tractor came to life in a sudden coughing sound, almost like it was choking.** 'Tell me what going on Ianto. I **_**need**_** to know!'**

_'Big doors on the other side... we're away from them... come through there... be quick Jack... please.... there's 6 of them, I think... one of them... OH GOD JACK! HE'S GOING TO KILL ME! JACK!'_

**'I'm coming Ianto! I promise, I won't let you die!' **Ramming the tractor into gear Jack shot off towards the lights he had seen, he could see a building now. Glaring at the building he spotted the doors Ianto mentioned just to his left. Turning the wheel suddenly the tractor jerked around and then was heading straight towards the doors. His foot of the accelerator for a moment longer than was necessary made it possible for him to come crashing through the flimsy wood and into what looked like a meeting area – minus the plastic sheeting and the meat behind that; along with his team, directly in front of him and he might have thought it was cosy.

Without missing a beat of his racing heart Jack was out of the tractor and firing off shot-gun rounds in seconds, that guy in the basement had decent taste in guns. Four shells later, and several more shots from his Webley and all the cannibals were down; either dead, unconscious or in fucking-agony. Jack couldn't care less, they'd threatened _his_ team. Something he didn't stand for.

The copper, tried reaching for his gun, 'That's kind of pointless. You know I'm going to shoot you again anyway'

"Oh really?" One more shot and the copper couldn't have picked up a gun even if his life depended on it – mainly because Jack would just shot him again, maybe in the stomach or leg!

"Jack!" Looking away from the copper he turned and looked at his team. _His_ team. All of them. Each of them special and worth fighting for. "Jack! Get over here and fucking untie us would ya'?"

That was Owen. You could always trust Owen to sound snarky and annoyed with the guy who'd just saved him from becoming someone's dinner **'Well that just Owen really isn't it?'**

"What? No thanks?" Jack grinned at him, as he picked his way though the mess and bodies of the cannibals.

"I'll give you fucking thanks Harkness! Just fucking untie us! Gwen's injured, so's Tosh and Ianto!" Owen growled glaring at Jack who crouched down beside, "Haven't got the key by any chance have you?"

Becoming deadly serious Jack shook his head and pulled out a small skeleton key from one of his other pockets. "Don't need it, I've got this instead."

47 seconds later Owen was out of his restraints and untying Tosh whilst Jack unlocked the cuffs around Ianto's wrists. Gwen was with Kieran, untying him and helping him to sit down properly. Once Tosh was untied Owen stood up and held out a hand, which she took. Pulling her to his feet he inspected her throat closely and then her wrists.

"Nothing broken, no deep lacerations, only bruising on your neck and I'll get these wrists cleaned and wrapped up soon. Okay?" Owen said, focusing on her. He noted the look of shock on her face; she looked like she was in a daze and not really seeing.

Not trusting herself to think, Tosh simply nodded and looked anywhere but at the cannibals, the bloody ground and the meat on the shelves. There was only Owen she could look at so she looked down at her wrists and saw the red skin that had been rubbed raw by the rope. She was vaguely aware of Owen moving away and over towards the others, not wanting to be alone she followed him over; still looking at her wrists.

"Come on mate. Let me take a look at you?" Owen said as he knelt down next to Ianto. Jack stood and looked over at the cannibals.

"Gwen." He said tonelessly. "Can you call the police, tell them to get up here fast and to send some ambulances?" He looked at her, and waited until she nodded before adding, "I'm going to tie them up and I want you guys in the Pub – it's nicer in there, it's clean and dry too. Owen, one of your med-kits is there too."

"Right. We'll have to move Ianto soon Jack. The cold floor's not good for him but," Owen looked up at Jack and then at the cannibals "it can wait until they're restrained."

Refocusing his attention on Ianto, Owen tried again to get Ianto to let him check him over. "Yan, mate, you need to let me have a look. You could have broken-fucking-ribs for all you know!"

Stubbornly Ianto shook his head and glared at Owen, he managed a quiet whisper that conveyed to Owen how shit he was feeling, "Not... here... not with... _them_!" he directed his glare over towards the cannibals before scumming to a coughing fit that sapped all his strength.

"Okay, fine. When we're in the Pub then." Owen sighed and conceded that if he were in Ianto's shoes he wouldn't want to let those sick fuckers see they'd hurt him – which they had, Ianto was in agony! "In the Pub."

---------------------------------T

**TBC**

**The 'I' is for Ianto, the 'J' is for Jack, the 'T' is for Team and 'TBC' is for Those Bastard Cannibals!!**

**It's not as long as I wanted it too be but, it's long enough! I hope you liked it and DO tell me what you think. I might not write anymore otherwise! =P XD *.^ ^.***

**It might be a while until I get back to this but, I've got other fics to finish, I've got essays to write and homework to do.... and the list goes on! But I WILL finish this! That's a promise!**


	5. Dr Harper was Right!

**The next instalment of my fic!! I couldn't think of another good title name that included 'Countryside' in it so I hope this one's good enough.**

**BTW – Owen's thoughts (yes. I've done Owen-thoughts!) are in Italic-Bold!**

**Enjoy!!**

**=)**

**Dr. Harper was Right! **

Not too long after the little incident with Jack shooting all the cannibals Ianto, Owen, Tosh, Gwen and the boy – Kieran – all found themselves seated in the Pub. Tosh was huddled up on one of the armchairs next to the old fireplace, Gwen and Kieran were on the couch next to the flat-screen TV; Kieran was asleep with his head resting on Gwen's shoulder whilst she held him protectively.

Ianto and Owen were on the opposite side of the Pub by the bar; Ianto was sitting on one of the stools whilst Owen was checking his ribs to see if any were broken.

"You have the worst-fucking luck Teaboy! Have you ever managed to have not to have something bad happen to you?" Owen muttered, his voice still snarky but not as much as it had been a week ago. That may be because of the fact that the Teaboy had nearly became dinner for a bunch of sick-fuckers and got beaten to near bloody death to save Tosh.

Giving Owen the best glare he could manage at the time Ianto looked him in the eyes and said, his voice bland but plainly tired, "No Owen. My life is made up of bad stuff happening to me, it wouldn't be my _glorious_ life otherwise."

Owen raised his eyebrows at the sheer amount of bitterness in Ianto's voice, he didn't know anything about Ianto's life being bad. In fact he didn't know a lot about the Welshman. Trying to get him to talk because it would help him figure out if he had a concussion from the rifle seemed to be the best thing Owen could do, "You must have had some good times in the past?" He looked at Ianto pointedly, but Ianto just stared off into the distance that was the patterned carpet beneath their feet.

"Yeah, before I passed the age of 10 most of my memories before then are good. After, well, they're a little less than rosy." Ianto said softly, the timbre of his voice deep and his accent thicker than usual as he tried to keep back all his emotions. "I have no family and no friends... why the heck am I telling _you_ this?" Ianto looked up sharply at Owen who flinched back at the intensity of emotions there.

"I just need you to talk encase you've gone and got yourself a concussion." Owen replied, gently prodding Ianto's ribs. The Welshman jumped from the contact and growled in discomfort. If the situation was any different Owen might have been worried that Ianto had _growled_ when he poked him. After all, it was a deep, pained growl that was more likely to slip from an animal rather than a human. Swallowing up his own discomfort at being around Ianto when he was in such pain, Owen quickly finished checking him over and proceeded over to Tosh, Gwen and Kieran; leaving Ianto alone to think.

_'I have no family... no friends... no-one to love... I'm all fucking-alone! There's no-one who care about me, why would they? Why should they? Why am I still here? I have nothing else, that why! I'm fucking pathetic! No sense of purpose anymore, I see no point to it!'_

_'But... I asked Jack for help... I didn't want to die then... what's changed in the last few minutes that's made me change my mind so quickly?'_

_'Fuck! I don't know!'_

Snorting in annoyance at his own incapability to come to a decision, Ianto looked across the Pub at the others. Owen was checking Tosh over; the latter looking like she wanted to do nothing more than be held by the former. Gwen was still clinging onto the boy; her eyes unseeing as she mulled over the days events and possible reasons for the cannibals' lifestyle. None of them saw him watching, they didn't know that he wanted nothing more than to be with them; to be holding Tosh and talking to Gwen. They didn't know and he didn't say. Why would he?_ 'I'm just the fucking Teaboy after all, aren't I? Yeah, the Teaboy that nearly killed them all! Who'd want comfort from me?' _

Hearing movement from outside the front door Ianto's eyes locked onto it; out of the corner of his eye he could see Owen and Tosh had both looked towards the door also. He felt the familiar prickling at the base of his neck that signalled one of the others getting afraid of whatever was outside; if he was honest the fear they felt _could_ have been his own also.

The fear, as it was, was uncalled for as the noise outside the door was revealed to be that of Jack trying to untangle his coat from the jaggered wall outside the door. Huffing and cursing under his breath Jack walked into the middle of the Pub, seemingly oblivious to his teams discomfort and fear; which was rapidly fading.

_**'Stupid prick! Scared the fucking shit out of us and he doesn't even fucking notice!'**_

Ianto, who had been focused on Jack, jerked his head around at the same time as Jack looked up; both Ianto and Jack's gazes settled on Owen who was glaring at Jack._** 'What's he fucking looking at me like that for? If he's going to start bitching I'm going to fucking punch him! Bringing us out into the fucking-countryside! The prick! We could've fucking died! Jesus...' **_

Smiling slightly at Owen's thoughts, Ianto couldn't help but agree with him._ 'It seems Dr. Harper was right... for once!' _ Re-focusing his attention on Jack, Ianto was surprised to find Jack was watching him. Their eyes met briefly before Ianto was back to staring at the enigma that was the carpet, but that brief moment was enough for Ianto to see something in Jack's gaze that he didn't expect to see; he saw concern, for _him_! Jack was concerned for Ianto and Ianto didn't know why.

_'I'm a traitor, a murderer and a coward... how can he look at me with concern? I don't deserve it... I deserve to be shot! I deserve to die... but, I don't want to die... I want to live... I want... I think, I want... Jack?'_

Shocked by his own revelation Ianto's eyes snapped up and locked onto Jack's fiercely, intense ones. _'I want you...'_ That was all he thought, and it scared him. It terrified him, that he wanted the one man who he threatened to watch die, the one man who wanted him to kill the girl he had loved, the one man who'd just saved his life! _'What the fuck is wrong with me!? I shouldn't want you! I should hate you! But... I don't think I do...'_

**'I don't think I hate you either...' **Another voice, not his own. Jacks! It was Jack's voice and he could hear it in his head, along with his own. How?

_'How?... What the-'_

**'You didn't close the link... must have slipped your mind, what with nearly getting eaten and all that' **The voice in his head sounded the same as Jack's voice when he normally spoke aloud, no difference – except, it wasn't coming from his mouth of course.

_'Right... Thank-you by the way... for not letting me become their dinner...'_

**'No-one's allowed to eat you... except me that is...' **Even changed when he tried to flirt; definitely Jack's voice in his head then!

_'We're not even talking out loud and you're still flirting with me!'_

**'It's in my nature...'**

_'It's in something...'_ he was getting annoyed. He could cut the link any time he wanted but, he wanted to talk now; when the others couldn't hear them.

**'Sorry' **The voice sounded serious, like it meant it.

_'For flirting?' _his sarcasm was present even in his thoughts.

**'For nearly getting you eaten'**

_'Not your fault'_

**'I sent you to get the SUV... you could've died!'**

_'Not too long ago Sir, it was you, not the cannibals that planned on killing me. Of course, your reasons were entirely different to those savages but the desired result was for me to be dead!'_ Dangerous territory to go onto right now, but Ianto didn't care. He'd just been tenderized by cannibals! Jack wasn't something he was too bothered about. If he shot him now he shot him, so what? Doesn't matter anyway.

**'I was angry... and hurt'** Pain, why would he be hurt, because of his betrayal? Or because of something else?

_'Hurt?'_ his curiosity was getting the better of him, he didn't want to cut the link now; he wanted to know why.

**'I felt like you'd betrayed me... used me...' **strange. He didn't know why Jack cared so much about him but the way he was 'thinking' now made him consider if Jack had any affection for him.

_'That's because, in a way Sir, I did...'_ might as well be honest. He could blame it on the morphine later if it went wrong.

**'?' **now it was Jack's turn to be curious and confused.

_'I used your _nature_ to get into Torchwood 3... I also used it to side-track you, to keep you from finding Lisa...'_

**'I trusted you!' **back to the hurt sound in his 'thought'. Ianto reasoned that Jack really must have some affection for him. He felt strangely comforted by this reasoning.

_'I know you did Sir... and I'm... I'm sorry that I hurt you. It was never my intention' _it was true, he'd never intended to hurt Jack; just to divert his attention. He cared for the other man, a lot more than he'd first believed. He cared about him enough to feel incredibly guilty for betraying him.

**'What was your intention?' **Jack sounded suspicious, his 'thought' was colder and more dangerous. Ianto would have to be careful how he replied.

_'To save Lisa, to fix her. Make her normal again, to get married to her and have kids... that was my intention Sir' _the honest truth. He'd so wanted a family with Lisa. One of the only people that he'd cared enough about to let his guard down; and then life had been a bitch and took her from him.

**'I really am sorry Ianto' **Jack was sad, his heart ached for Ianto. He'd had plans, a life and it'd been taken from him. How could he be angry at a broken man? How could he be angry at someone who'd lost so much and had taken it all in silence? He couldn't really, he just couldn't. He'd be one hell of a hypocrite if he did!

_'You did what you had too Sir'_ Ianto was resigned and tired, he was upset and wanted to cry; but he had no tears to shed. His body wouldn't allow what his heart and mind both wanted, for him to cry openly and grieve.

**'Stop calling me Sir! It's Jack! Surely you can call me Jack when we're not talking aloud at least?'** He couldn't help it! He hated Ianto reverting back to calling him 'Sir! It made him feel _old_, it made him feel like _only_ the boss; even when he wanted to be a friend, Ianto wouldn't let him!

_'It would be unprofessional Sir' _his 'thought' was toneless, so like his voice when his mask came into full-play; hiding every little aspect of him.

**'Screw unprofessional Ianto! My name is Jack! Use it!'** his frustration was apparent. Why couldn't the bloody young man make his life that bit easier? Why couldn't he just call him by his name and see him as a friend and maybe... NO!

_'Fine... Jack!' _annoyance, different from toneless and bland. And his name too! They were getting somewhere at last!

**'Thank the bloody gods of Kataran!'**

_'Are the gods of Kataran bloody?' _he decided to be facetious. He didn't want to call Jack by his name, he wanted to call him Sir and distance himself; to hide in professionalism like he used to.

**'Ianto'** a growl full of warning, a new one for Ianto to hear as a thought as opposed as 'growled' aloud.

_'Just asking' _hissmugness coming across, regardless of his attempts for it not too.

**'Well don't!' **more annoyance in his 'thought' but it wasn't a growl this time.

_'Fine. Let's drop it now, we've got a job to do right?' _Ianto decided he didn't want to do this anymore. He wanted to get back to Cardiff. He wanted a shower, he wanted to sleep, he wanted to go home. He doesn't class his flat as home; it doesn't look like a home to him, so where's his home exactly?

**'Right!' **Jack looked away from Ianto to see Owen checking Gwen over and Tosh and Kieran sitting together. He didn't know if the others had noticed he hadn't moved in over a minute but he was too frustrated to care and, too tired.

_'I'm cutting the link now'_ Ianto warned him, he might not be in a good mood and he might be feeling awful but he was still a gentleman; he didn't just do things without having the decency to give a warning. After all, he was his fathers son.

**'Thanks'** Jack replied, he could sense a feeling of intense sadness emanating from Ianto; which had nothing to do with what they'd been discussing or the cannibals. No. The cause of it was something else. **'Are you alright Ianto?'**

_'I'm fine' _It was choked out, as though Ianto was holding back tears physically but couldn't hold them back mentally.

**'Ianto-' **The link was cut. He couldn't hear Ianto anymore and Ianto couldn't hear him. **'Please... tell me what's wrong Yan...'** a pointless thing to think unless he wanted to open another link with Ianto; which he didn't because he had to deal with the police when they came. **'Later' **he promised himself, **'Later I'll talk to him. I'll find out what upset him'**.

In the distance he heard the sound of sirens, from both the Police and the ambulances; he'd patched up the cannibals so they'd live. Not wanting Owen near them again he'd done it himself so it wasn't as perfect or a good as what it would've been but it would suffice, for now. **'Now I understand why Owen hates the countryside... it really is full of sick-fuckers!'**

**TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW**

**No offence to anyone from the Countryside – I'm from there too! But, I'm not a cannibal though... LOLz!**

**I decided to do some fluff in this one since all my other chapters have been a bit angst-only! I like Jack and Ianto with their little 'thought' conversation! It'd be brilliant if I could do that in Geography! Then I wouldn't go insane!**

**Next chapter up soon. Be warned! I might skip to when they're heading back to the Hub, as I couldn't care less about how Gwen feels when the mad-cannibal tells her it makes him 'happy'! Sorry. BUT! I might skim over it briefly IF I feel like it! **

**JANTO FOREVER – UNLESS I CAN HAVE IANTO!! THEN HE'S MINE!! XD XD XD **


	6. Just Another Day For Torchwood

**I've been down at my brother's for a little while which meant that I wasn't able to update anything. Sorry, about that – blame my mam! **

**Anywho, I'm back now so I can give you what I've written whilst the hours ticked by.**

**The same as before but Gwen's thoughts are in Bold-Italic, Jack's are in Bold and Ianto's are in Italic. Owen's thoughts are normal but in apostrophes, okay? Good.**

**Enjoy...**

**Just Another Day for Torchwood**

_**'Happy.... he said it made him happy.... how sick can he be?... Happy....'**_ That was Gwen. Gwen and her bloody-pathological need to understand why. She just couldn't stop, she had to understand.

_'Jesus Gwen! Can't you just shut up for once! I don't want to know what you're thinking about so please drop it!'_ his head was killing him because of Gwen's thoughts. Normally he was able to ignore them, to block them out but he was too weak at the moment. He couldn't stop hearing them, her obsessing over what that... _savage_ had said wasn't helping him either.

**'Happy? Well, that just proves it. Humans can be sick-bastards! Monsters even...' **Jack thought to himself as they sat together in the SUV waiting for the officer to finish up checking the keys they'd found for the SUV's ignition. Ianto couldn't hear Jack's thoughts but he could hear everyone else's and it was slowly killing him. Looking in the rear-view mirror Jack frowned when he saw Ianto's face and the pained expression upon it. **'Owen's given him morphine, he shouldn't be in pain... why is he? Oh... damn it I forgot!' **Jumping slightly when the officer rapped on the window glass holding the keys, nodding his thanks as the officer bade them goodnight Jack started the SUV and left.

'Tosh, is she alright? Is Gwen alright? Of course she isn't she got shot! And Ianto, he nearly became those sick-fucker's tea!' That was Owen, even Jack heard that as he concentrated on driving, sometimes he really hated being telepathic but he guessed that Ianto hated it even more than he did at this moment in time.** 'The weaker you are physically the weaker your mental barrier's become... he must be going insane with all their thoughts!' **He felt for Ianto, he really did; he knew it hurt a lot to hear others thoughts when you were as weak as Ianto was now.

_'Yes Owen, you're going over everything we already know. And on the 'Ianto-nearly-became-tea' yeah, I definitely know about that!' _Strangely though, Jack could also hear some of Ianto's thoughts, he reasoned that the barrier keeping his thoughts private was weakening also.

**'That's not good' **If Ianto's internal barrier was weakening that meant that the strain on Ianto was becoming too much, if he didn't get away from the others soon he could die.** 'I need to do something!'**

_**'Happy... happy... how can that make them happy? It's sick!' **_Gwen, still obsessing over the cannibals reply to her question, was oblivious to Ianto's pained expression as he gently clutched his head with his right hand, the left one currently wrapped around his chest tightly.

Taking a deep breath and focusing on Ianto and the road simultaneously Jack opened a link to Ianto, **'Ianto?'** waiting for Ianto to respond Jack couldn't help feeling very concerned for Ianto's mental and physical health.

_'Jack...' _Ianto replied, sounding faint and pained. Jack felt his heart swell protectively as he tried to focus on the road and the conversation with Ianto. _'I can't stop them.... it hurts, so much...'_

**'It's alright Ianto, let me help you okay?' **Jack comforted him, mentally reaching out to him to calm and relax him,** 'let me help you...'**

_'What do I do Jack? Tell me... what... to do.... please... it hurts...' _Ianto felt weak, his body was numb but his mind was screaming in agony, a searing pain that was as insistent as the voices he couldn't block out.

**'Alright. Listen to me Ianto. I want you to connect to me, fully. Mind as well as emotions... it'll mean that I can re-build your barriers and sooth the pain... okay?'** Jack replied softly, glancing at Ianto in the rear-view mirror briefly, **'You have to trust me Ianto... you could die otherwise...'**

_'O-o-okay...'_ Ianto was getting weaker by the second but the pain was becoming more and more intense, he didn't understand it; they were out in the middle of the countryside, away from the village and the coppers, he could only hear the four people with him in the SUV – unless he was listening to sheep too!_ 'Why... am... I... getting... weaker... Jack?'_

**'It's because of the combination of stress, morphine, mental and physical exhaustion. You've hardly slept in the last month, hardly eaten too and you've just nearly been someone's tea! You've been given morphine to dull the physical pain but not the mental. That's why Yan... connect with me and it'll stop hurting' **Jack answered him focusing on the road, driving at a speed that was far too fast for lonely, Welsh roads in the early hours of the morning.

_'I'm going... to... connect... now...' _Ianto managed before shutting up and dredging up his last reserve of strength and using it to open the link to Jack fully; everything he felt Jack would feel, everything he thought Jack would hear and vice versa. Immediately a strong, calm feeling washed over him silencing many of the voices in his head. He sighed softly as the pain in his head lessened considerably. It felt wonderful to not hear _all those voices!_

**'Better?'** Jack asked risking another glance at Ianto before refocusing on the road, he was focusing intently on blocking the voices Ianto was hearing; he hadn't expected the young Welshman to have heard some many voices so far away from large groups of people. **'You must be pretty strong by the way'**

_'My head isn't hurting... so much now.' _Ianto replied closing his eyes and leaning his head against the cold window. _'If I was... strong, I could've... blocked them... all out!'_

**'Not what I meant Yan. I meant you're hearing voices from Cardiff, which is unusual and signals that you must be a strong telepath.' **Jack said, his feeling of slight annoyance not escaping Ianto who in turn felt annoyed at Jack.

_'I'm an empath too.'_ Ianto told him softly, Jack looked back at Ianto who'd opened his eyes and their eyes locked for a second before he looked back at the road again. _'I've been feeling.... the other's all day...'_

**'Really? An empath? Well, that's a surprise. I had no idea!' **Jack raised his eyebrows at this little revelation, he was being truthful though; he honestly had no idea Ianto was empathic.

_'Well you wouldn't... you had no idea I was... telepathic until today!' _Ianto replied heatedly, he wasn't in the mood for explaining or talking, he just wanted desperately to sleep!

Jack, sensing that Ianto was exhausted decided to leave it and instead 'thought' softly, **'Sleep Yan... I'll keep the voices away whilst you sleep...'**

_'Thank-you...' _Ianto started to slip away, into sleep's clutches, but he was sure he heard Jack reply **'You're welcome Yan.'** but as he faded out, he couldn't be entirely sure.

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

An hour after Ianto had sucummed to sleep Tosh was ready to follow. "Jack, how much longer until we get to Cardiff?" she whispered from the passenger seat next to him, watching the scenery flash by.

"Not too much longer Tosh, why don't you get so sleep, you looked exhausted." Jack replied his voice soft as he briefly glanced at her and flashed her reassuring smile. "Go on Tosh, sleep. I'll keep you safe now."

Smiling slightly at him Tosh curled up in the front seat and closed her eyes, "Thank-you Jack." she mumbled as she began to drift off into a sleep that would soon become a nightmare.

"Anytime Toshiko, anytime" Jack mouthed silently as he refocused upon the road again.

The car was silent for a while as Tosh and Ianto both slept, and Owen held Gwen closely; trying to reassure her and protect her from the big, bad world.

**'They nearly died. I shouldn't have sent Tosh and Ianto out alone, I should've let Owen or Gwen go with them. Why? WHY! Was I so stupid? They don't get up when they die! Jesus, they nearly didn't get up today! They nearly died! Christ...'**

Trying to control his breathing and his temper Jack gripped the steering wheel tighter as he turned through the gates into Cardiff. Without bothering to check to see if the road was clear, Jack shot across the inter-sections and down towards the Hub.** 'I should send them home! But, they'll have nightmares... maybe it's better for them to be together tonight? Maybe...' **

"Jack, I need to check Gwen and Ianto over properly, and I'd like to make sure Tosh is alright too. So we might as well go to the Hub." Owen said, his voice low so as to not wake Ianto or Tosh.

Nodding in affirmation Jack turned in the general direction of the Hub, and soon enough he pulling into the underground parking for the Hub. Pulling up as near to the entrance to the Hub as he could Jack stopped the SUV and shut off the engine, before getting out.

Gwen and Owen got out also and walked over to the front passengers door to wake Tosh up and get her into the Hub whilst Jack handled Ianto.

"Ianto" Jack said softly as he opened the back door and placed his hand on his right arm. "Ianto, you need to wake up. We're at the Hub."

Waiting for a few seconds Jack heard Tosh as she jerked awake and looked up in time to see Owen envelope her in a hug and hold her tightly as he got her out of the SUV. Owen looked over to Jack when Jack nodded for him to take Gwen and Tosh in ahead. With a curt nod of his head Owen managed to manoeuvre Tosh over to Gwen and then to the door leading to the Hub.

Once they disappeared Jack sighed and refocused his attention on Ianto. Looking at his face as he slept Jack thought he looked beautiful, excluding the bruised right cheek and the cut lip, his face was unguarded in his sleep. Jack doubted that he'd ever see such a calm, contented and innocent look on Ianto's face when he was awake; he was too guarded, to secluded for that.

Feeling his heart cry for the young man before him Jack decided to wake him up before his face contorted with fear and pain from a nightmare that Jack was certain would come soon.

"Ianto! Wake up." Jack shook his shoulder gently but it was enough to wake Ianto, who jerked away from him with a cry of fear and pain. "Ianto! It's alright, it's Jack!"

Not sure what to do exactly Jack grabbed Ianto's wrists and pulled him towards him, which proved to be harder than Jack would've thought as Ianto was a lot stronger than he let on. "It's alright.... shhhh... shhhh.... shhhh...."

Wrapping his arms around Ianto stopping him from getting away from him, Jack wondered if Ianto had been having a nightmare or if Jack's way of waking him up startled him. Holding onto him though Jack felt guilty for causing this, waking him up like that would only cause Ianto more pain from his injuries.

After a few minutes Jack felt Ianto beginning to calm and relax in his embrace, waiting until Ianto stopped struggling completely Jack leaned his head back so he could see Ianto's face. Startled and confused blue-eyes met his as they obviously tried to discern as to why he was being held by his boss.

"Sorry, I had to wake you up and you, kind of freaked out." Jack said softly as he let go of Ianto and stepped back a bit. "Owen's down with the girls in the Hub, he needs to check you all out."

Looking at Jack for a few moments Ianto couldn't help but notice that he looked very tired. He suddenly felt a strange urge to get up and hug Jack and get him to go and sleep, but he pushed it down swiftly and ignored it; just like he did with the other urges he had when it came to Jack. Realising he hadn't said anything Ianto nodded and moved to get out of the SUV.

Within seconds Jack was there next to him, helping him out of the back of the SUV and towards the entrance to the Hub. They made their way down to the Hub in silence, save for Ianto's occasional grunts and small groans of pain or discomfort.

"Owen!" Jack shouted as they entered the main Hub. Looking around he noted that Tosh was seated on the couch behind her desk and that Gwen was sitting at her desk staring at nothing. Owen's head popped out from the medical bay and he nodded as Jack began to shepard Ianto over to him. "Check him over, he might have done a bit more damage when he was getting out of the SUV." Looking at Ianto his eyes said that he wouldn't tell Owen about the nature of his wake-up call and Ianto silently thanked him before giving himself over to Owen's _excellent_ care.

**----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

After Owen had patched Ianto up and berated him for head-butting a cannibal; as it can cause untold damage to his cranium and brain functions, he had left with the girls promising to drop them off, and had left Ianto in Jack's care.

Ianto, sitting on the couch behind Tosh's desk, felt tired and semi-detached from his own body. He didn't want to sleep because he knew that if he did then he'd have a nightmare and he didn't want Jack to see him having a nightmare. 'Why do I care so much about what he thinks? I shouldn't! I shouldn't care about him! So why do I?'

Shaking his head in frustration he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, trying to ignore all the aches and pains that the morphine hadn't set to work upon. As he felt himself begin to drift between waking and sleep Ianto jerked up and snapped his eyes open, 'NO! Don't fall asleep!'

Scrubbing his face with heel of his palm Ianto looked around searching for Jack, 'where is he? Why can't he let me go home? Why do I have to stay here?'

'You have to stay here because you're injured and you're too weak at the moment to block anything out so you're staying here where I can keep an eye on you' Jack's voice echoed in his head as Jack himself strode across the Hub towards him and the couch.

Sitting down next to him he looked Ianto in the eye before adding aloud, "and I really do care about you."

blushing profusely Ianto looked away from him and focused on his hands clasped together on his lap before saying quietly, "I need to shower and I need to get changed, I'm filthy and these clothes smell..." he faltered as his mind conjured up the appropriate smell, "smell of that place."

"Alright." Jack said softly, when Ianto's mind had conjured up that smell Ianto hadn't realised that he'd 'smelt' it also. He could see why Ianto didn't want those clothes on anymore, "Come on." Standing up abruptly he turned and held out a hand for Ianto to take.

Looking at him for a moment or two as his mind tried to catch up with Jack, Ianto grasped the hand and with Jack's help he was standing up in a few seconds. Jack didn't let go of his hand and instead lead him across the Hub towards his office. As it was Ianto, didn't have the strength to argue with him and so followed him silently.

After a few pain-filled minutes of conquering the stairs to his office, Ianto found himself stood in Jack's office watching Jack as he lifted the cover to his bunk. Glancing up at Ianto briefly Jack was confused as to why Ianto was smiling a small, amused smile.

"What?" he asked standing up fully and walking over to Ianto, stopping directly in front of him.

"I've always wondered what was down there." Ianto replied his voice a little horse as his throat was beginning to go dry from close proximity to Jack. "I've noticed the cover and everytime you've talked about living here, I always thought if you meant down there or something." looking Jack in the eye he could see Jack's surprise and guessed that what he'd reasoned was correct. "Guess I was right."

For a moment Jack studied the man before him, and his amazing mind. He'd connected the dots, some of which were invisible, and had come to the correct assumption. "Guess you were." he nodded before taking his right hand and leading him over to the hole in the floor.

Descending the ladder he stood at the base of them and stretched his arms up towards the hole. Smirking as he watched Ianto's eyebrows raise in realisation he said, "Slide down and I'll catch you, there's a shower down here and a bed for you to sleep."

Looking at Jack sceptically Ianto managed to sit down next to the hole relatively quickly before sliding his legs into the hole and placing them on one of the rungs below. Watching as Jack's hands slid along his ankles, gently encouraging him to come down, he continued to slide into the hole.

The feel of Jack's hands running up his calves' and then thighs made Ianto's stomach twist and tighten in excitement. As Jack's hands came into contact with his chest and held him firmly as his feet touched the concrete floor beneath him, he felt a familiar feeling start to build-up slightly in his gut.

As soon as he felt Jack's arms sliding around his chest, one hand coming to rest beneath his shirt at the base of his spine, Ianto looked at Jack and noted the dilated pupils that signalled his lust and want for Ianto.

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**Ta-da! I hope you enjoyed it so far and I know it's an awful place to have a cliff-hanger but, you'll forgive me... eventually. I've got a few tests coming up soon so I'm sorry if it's going to take me a while to update but trust me, I'd much rather be updating this! Damned tests! **


	7. Some Memories Are Best Left Alone

**Well hello! Now, I haven't been able to update for quite a while mainly because of some very horrible teachers who are intent on making my life a misery – using coursework as a means to do so! Because of this I have been unable to update for a while but, I'm here now and updating for you!**

**I don't really think I have to explain too much of the structure of this but I'll do it again anyway; Jack's thoughts are in Bold, Ianto's are in Italic, and the memories are in Bold Italic.**

**Jen is Ianto's dead sister – I hate trying to pronounce Welsh words and I'd probably spell them wrong, so Jennifer (Jen for short) Jones. **

**Enjoy it, read it, cry about it, curse my teachers for giving me diversionary coursework and I may grant you another chapter as soon as possible! **

**Alonzey!**

**Some Memories Are Best Left Alone, Others Aren't.**

After what felt like an eternity to Ianto; in which he could feel the morphine that Owen had given him starting to affect him fully, Jack leaned forward and allowed his lips to brush against Ianto's. Freezing up Ianto stood there motionless, his brain was shocked and his body a statue. He felt Jack's arms slide around his chest, one of them moving down to his waist; it's hand coming to rest on his arse.

Although Ianto was frozen from surprise by what was currently transpiring his body suddenly came to life in a flurry of activity. He felt blood rushing from all over his body directly to his groin, he felt his muscles all quiver and twitch as Jack's hands glided over them, he felt his lips press back against Jack's own, he felt his own hands running around Jack's body resting on his back; he felt it all and he couldn't stop himself from doing anything, his body had mutinied against him. But, when Jack's tongue gained entry into his mouth he suddenly discovered he didn't care for his bodily mutiny, he didn't care for anything except the feeling of Jack's tongue battling with his own.

He was gently pushed back against the ladder as Jack's chest push into his own, he felt Jack's arms tighten around him and he definitely felt their hips come into contact. That contact made him moan quietly and he pushed back forcing his hips to meet Jack's again. They pushed against one another as though they were a pointed-arch in a church; thrust and counter-thrust, Jack and Ianto battling to maintain the contact of their hips.

It was a wonderful feeling for Ianto and it was helping him to forget everything that had happened to bring to this moment in time but, every wonderful and euphoric feeling eventually fades; this one just quicker than he had hoped.

_**IANTO! HELP ME.... IANTO!**_

_**NO! LISA!**_

_**IANTO......AHHHHHHHH....**_

_**LISA, LISA! LISA ANSWER ME PLEASE!**_

He couldn't stop the memories as they came, like a flash-flood and he was swept away from the present and sent careening into his past. He didn't hear Jack as he froze and become ice, he didn't see Jack as he stopped and looked at him, he didn't feel Jack steering him towards the small bed besides that ladder. He only heard, saw and felt the past; his past.

_**Don't leave... me, Yan... don't leave... me, please...**_

_**I won't Jen, I promise, I won't leave...**_

_**I love you... Yan... love you... lots...**_

_**I love you too Jen, it's going to be okay! You hear me, It's going to be okay!**_

_**So sleepy... so cold Yan... don't let... go...**_

_**Jen? Jen wake up Jen! Please Jen wake up please! Don't leave me Jen, stay with me! JEN!**_

"Ianto. Ianto, can you hear me Yan?" Jack asked, his voice soft and gentle as he laid Ianto down on the bed. His blue eyes were wide as he stared into Ianto's frozen lakes; he looked lost in his own head. **'No, not his head. His memories...'** "Ianto! Wake up, look at me please!" his voice took on a desperate sort of determination, he wasn't going to stand by and watch Ianto get lost in his past. He wasn't going to stand back and let him quietly fall apart; not a second time at least.** 'Or has he already fallen apart? Is he too broken to fix? NO! Don't think like that! He's too young not to be fixed, he just needs help. A life preserver!' **

Sighing as he continued to stare at Ianto vainly hoping for some sort of response. As he stood up he turned to look at his wardrobe, was their anything in there that would suffice for Ianto's tattered and bloodied clothes? Maybe, he could get a pair of sweatpants and one of his white t-shirts on him and then call Owen back to check him over. Deciding to do that Jack walked over to his wardrobe and pulled out a pair of navy sweatpants and a white t-shirt, he returned to his bed and placed them on his small night-stand before looking back at Ianto.

He noted that the shirt he was wearing over the t-shirt would easily come off and so proceeded to remove it without moving Ianto too much. Casting the ruined beige shirt aside Jack focused on the t-shirt. It was torn and ripped in several places and their was bloody teeth prints on it **'God! They bit him through the shirt had enough to draw blood! Ianto, I'm so sorry!'** Deciding it would be quicker and easier to cut the raggered t-shit off Jack searched through the drawer of his night-stand and found a pair of scissors.

Cutting the t-shirt off of Ianto allowed Jack to see all the marks and bruises that Owen had told him Ianto had for himself. It was horrific. Ianto's normally ivory skin was a haze of blues, blacks, purples and red from the wounds on his chest. The stark contrast to the normally ivory skin was sickening to Jack, Ianto's skin was too fair to be subjected to this. 'His skin's meant to be ivory, creamy and fair. Not, this!'

Taking a deep breath Jack forced himself to focus on getting Ianto into some clean clothes. Once he removed the t-shirt Jack quickly got rid of the mud, grass and blood-stained pants as well as Ianto's socks and shoes before sliding the sweatpants onto Ianto's thin, frozen frame. He decided to leave the shirt off for the time being as he didn't want to cause further harm to Ianto by moving him too much. Instead he pulled the throw-over across Ianto's body up to his waist and moved to the ladder.

**'I'm so sorry Ianto. Please be alright, please...' **

**TBC...**

**Well, aren't I just unkind! Got rid of the smut and replaced it with some angst! I'll make up for it, but you've got to admit. Wouldn't that be REALLY unfair to have happen when you're in that situation with Jack or Ianto and the past comes back to haunt you? Of course it's unfair but this is Torchwood, it's got the unfair covered in clause 12B, paragraph 4 – I checked!**

**Next update shouldn't be too far away away, but I can't promise it will be here by tomorrow! Sorry.**


	8. Light Chases The Memories Away

**Here's the next chap. I don't know how I've come up with any of this so far and so, in keeping with that, I don't know how I've come up with this either! The memories for Jack are in Italic if anyone can't figure that out and for Ianto they're in Bold/Italic.**

**Ianto's in a kind of dream-realm and is watching his memories from within his own mind, he can't change them or stop them, just re-live them. Okay! Glad we've got that little thing figured out!**

**Light Chases The Memories Away, Are You That Light?**

Sitting on the bed next to Ianto Jack contemplated what was going on inside the young Welshman's mind. He contemplated what it was that Ianto was recalling, he even contemplated if Ianto had anything outside of Torchwood. He'd looked in Ianto's file and discovered that Ianto had no family. He didn't find the name of any friends either which meant that either Ianto had removed that information when he'd essentially whitewashed his file or that he just didn't have any friends. Jack thought that both were just as likely to be true since Ianto was more than capable of removing anything that made him even remotely vulnerable and he also knew that Ianto spent almost every waking moment in the Hub or doing things for Torchwood. He doubted that Ianto would be unable to form friendships, the lad was like a politician; you saw what he wanted you to see and normally liked it. Jack had been conned once or twice in his past but never so completely as with Ianto, he'd been side-tracked so subtly that Jack had never realised why Ianto was diverting his attention from certain things.

Thinking back Jack distinctly recalled the time when he'd noticed a slight power increase in an unused room and had decided to go and check it out himself as it was far to late to call Tosh in to look at it...

_Walking down the long, tunnel-like corridor Jack hefted the tool kit in his right hand up further so as to stop it from slipping whilst checking the PDA in his left hand that was monitoring the power readouts. He was sure that no-one else was in the Hub at such a late time so it was a shock to him to turn the corner and come face-to-face with none other that Ianto Jones._

"_Ianto!" Jack exclaimed his grinning lecherously whilst trying to get his heartbeat back to normal. "You scared me."_

_Ianto looked at Jack for a brief moment in surprise also and something else before it was replaced by his butler mask. "Sorry Sir. May I ask as to why you're down here?" _

_Looking back at Ianto wondering what Ianto had been doing he said, "There's a spike in the power output in one of the rooms down here, I was just going to check it out. Why are you down here?"_

"_I noted the spike whilst in the Archives and thought I might check it out. It's nothing life-threatening, just a fried circuit. I was just on my way up to retrieve the necessary tools to repair it." Ianto replied, his voice smooth and unyielding as Jack continued to watch him with a hint of suspiciousness. "If you'll give the tools Sir I can have it repaired in the next ten-minutes. After that, well I'm sure I can find something to occupy my time..." _

_Jack felt his entire body respond to that one comment, just those few words uttered by the man in front of him. Absent-mindedly he handed Ianto the tool kit and said, "I'll be in my office, be there in the next fifteen minutes Ianto."_

"_Of course Sir" Ianto called after him as he began to walk back the way he'd came, a smirk lighting up his features as he considered how he could turn the man into nothing more than an incoherent mess._

Jack had never realised, until now that it, that the room he was heading to had housed the Cyberman. He also never realised what that other emotion that flickered across Ianto's face when he'd found him in the corridor. He knew what it was now... fear. Ianto had feared that he'd discovered the Cyberman that Ianto had believed to be his love.

Sighing Jack waited for the day to come hoping that the sunrise would break the memories hold over Ianto and bring him back to the present. "Please Ianto... come back..."

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"_**Lisa, you know I love you?...you should I say it enough... why is it hard for you to just believe what I say as being true?... fine, if you don't think I mean then I'll show you..."**_

_**He placed the receiver back in the holder before running a hand though his slightly damp hair in frustration. He hated upsetting Lisa, he especially hate upsetting her because she thought he didn't mean what he said. True, in an argument then 90% of the things he said he didn't mean, but this wasn't a regular argument. She was accusing him of not loving her just because he didn't serenade in the middle of the street to her! **_

_**He didn't want the rest of the world to be part of what he had with Lisa, he loved her so much and the fact that if he showed public affection for her was only demeaning and making his love that bit less important. He didn't show public affection for her because he liked him and her together 'alone', not with dozens of people staring at them and whispering or whatever!**_

He so desperately wanted to change how he'd reacted to that conversation. He'd been trying to show his love for her and instead showed her nothing but unbearable pain. The one day he decides would be ideal for him to have her in her office was the one day the world decides to go to Hell.

"No, no, no, no more" He shook his head as he desperately tried to get out of his own head, back to the present, to the Hub, to Jack...

He doesn't want to relive them any more, no matter how rare they are in occurrence, he just wants them to stop! Before they drive him insane.

"_**Doctor, can you tell me what happened to this young lad?" **_

"_**Yes officer. It seems that he was attacked and ended up getting badly injured, I'm surprised he's managed to stay conscious for so long after the amount of blood-loss he'd already sustained and the surgery to repair the damage. He's quite tough."**_

"_**Will he make it?"**_

"_**I don't know to honest. But, if I was a betting man I'd say he's stubborn enough to make it."**_

"_**Thank-you Doctor, can we speak to him now?"**_

"_**I suppose but try not to agitate him please. He's extremely weak at the moment."**_

_**The sound of footfalls on the tiled floor echoes in his ears and causes his already pounding head to flare in more pain. He tries to turn his head towards the sound but that only results in more pain in his skull. He feels light-headed, like he's floating on a cloud. **_

"_**Lad? Do you think you're up to talking to us right now?"**_

_**That's a soft voice, still a man's but gentle. He battles his body to open his eyes and succeeds long enough to make out two indistinct figures standing over him at the bottom of the bed he's lying in.**_

_**He knows he's got to say something, or they'll leave him alone. He doesn't want to be alone right now, he's afraid of that thing and what it'll do to him if he's alone. Mustering up whatever energy he has from some unknown part of himself he manages a quiet, croaky "Yes..."**_

"_**Good. Now, do you think you can tell me who did this to you lad?" the voice asks, he's guessing it's coming from the one closest to him as it doesn't seem to travel far to reach his ears.**_

_**He wonders how he should respond to that question. Should he respond at all? Should he pretend he's fallen asleep or passed out? Should he tell them the truth and wait for the 'shrink' to appear by his bedside? Or should he lie and say it was some bloke but he didn't see his face or anything else for that matter? He considers all the possible outcomes from the question and chooses to just lie.**_

"_**Some... guy jumped... me in... the alley... behind... the club... didn't get... a good... look... at him... sorry... too fast... just... felt... pain..." He can feel slight tremors in his body as he gasps out each word, it's a humongous effort to even speak let alone form a sentence! He can't talk anymore because he's too weak, he let's his body rest. **_

Who would ever have guessed that he would've had a close-encounter with a pretty pissed off Weevil that was doing a runner from whoever was working for T3 when he was just nineteen? It was kind ironic since he now works for T3.

He doesn't exactly feel happy remembering this stuff but he can't fight it so he just has to wait it out. _Without_ going insane from it of course.

He can feel something else, something real; outside his mind. A hand. A soft, warm, gentle hand. It's so nice, so lovely, so _real_.

Straining his mind, or whatever part that was co-operating with him, he tried to reach the hand in reality. He kept pushing and pushing, straining and determined to touch that hand with one of his own.

He was aware of words, whispers and sighs as well as the continued caress of that hand. Pushing that bit more he felt an overwhelming sense of elation when his hand responded to his thoughts and grabbed that caressing hand.

He didn't concern himself with the gasps of shock or the shouts of surprise, all he focused on was that hand he held within his own. He felt his body again, felt it draw in air and expel it without conscious thought, he felt his heart beat and shoot blood around his system. He felt every part of his being and was so happy that he was real again that he gripped that hand tighter making sure it was real also.

"Ianto?" He heard a voice and forced his tired eyes open. His eyes widened slightly in shock when he came face-to-face with Jack. He saw Jack's lips move again and focused on listening to the words he uttered, "Ianto, thank God you're awake. How are you?"

He really wanted to reply to that but he felt so god-damned tired. He hadn't been asleep, he'd been trapped in his own head! Sleep was warranted and justified so he whispered, "Sleepy..." before finally sleeping without being trapped in the past or having a nightmare.

Jack chuckled quietly at Ianto's response and watched silently as Ianto's eyes closed and his breathing evened out almost immediately. "Sleep well Ianto. I'll keep you safe." He whispered so as to make sure Owen, who was standing on the other side of Ianto – who was now sleeping on the autopsy table – and checking Ianto's vitals, wouldn't hear him. "I promise."

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**Well, I hope you enjoyed reading that as much as I've enjoyed writing it! My apologies if they're are any spelling or grammar mistakes but, it is 1:30 in the morning right now so I'm entitled to the occasional screw-up with the English language! Tell me what you think and I'll write an epilogue to this alright? Good. **

**Remember, REVIEWS!!**


	9. First Day of Spring

**Well, here is the epilogue of my fic! I'm sure you've all been waiting for it and who am I to keep you waiting any longer? Well, apart from the author that is!**

**I've been a bit busy with coursework – which I now have 6 weeks holidays to complete (joy) – and with other fics as well. But, here you are the final chapter is here for you!**

**Enjoy!!**

**'n flaen Ddiwrnod Chan Darddu **

Out of eight-hundred-and-twenty-three employees in that building, seven-hundred-and-ninety-six died and twenty-seven survived. Out of those twenty-seven survivors, nineteen ended up in psychiatric asylums, five decided to take their own lives and three have managed to blunder through the rest of life.

Out of those three semi-sane survivors, two moved away from the British isles and as far away as possible from any reminder of what had happened to them. Only one remained in the British isles.

This survivor remained with the institute that had destroyed his life in so many ways, he chose to join the 'renegade' branch of the institute.

This 'renegade' branch had a somewhat eccentric leader and a small number of employees – nothing compared to that buildings number of employees. It was small, to the point and was the last line of defence against billions of beings beyond imagination.

After this particular survivor made a monumental mistake – namely, trying to save an already dead loved one who was only a shell – he was given a choice. He was given another chance to make amends for his love-blinded actions.

He made a decision.

And he stuck to it.

And he's happy he did.

And he needs to go and make Jack a cup of hot java before his brain crashes from doing paperwork.

"IANTO... COFFEE... PLEASE!"

In this survivors eyes, the first day of Spring is the most beautiful of days. Especially if you work in an underground establishment where the sun is a rare occurrence and the constant need to supply highly-caffeinated beverages is paramount and only bested by the need to resist the urge to shoot a particularly snarky London Doctor after he didn't get 'some' the night prior.

Oh yes, the first day of Spring is the most beautiful of days...

END

**Okay... This wasn't what I'd originally planned for an epilogue but, I guess it works right? Don't answer that.**

**But, do tell me what you've thought of this entire thing because I'm a curious little monkey – or kitty if I stick to my name – and I really want to know your thoughts!**


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